Pilot-controlled torpedo.



J. S. WALCH.

PILOT CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 12. I915.

Patented June 27, 1916.

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.erated from a spray of self-propelling yp JACOB S. WALSH, OF WALLA WALLA, WASHINGTON.

PILOT-CONTROLLED TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed October 12, 1915. Serial No. 55,373.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Jaoon S. WALon, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Valla lValla, in the county of \Valla Walla and State of Washington, have invented cer-- tain new and useful Improvements in Pilot- Controlled Torpedoe's, of which the following is a specification,

This invent-ion relates to improvements iii self-propelled torpedoes which enable them to becontrolled by an attendant or pilot until within short striking distance of the enemys vessel.

Heretofore self-propelled torpedoes, usually referred to as automobile torpedoes, have been entirely controlled by self-contained automatic mechanism, the steering being usually under the control of a gyroscope device which maintains it upon the course determined by the aim of the launching tube on the torpedo boat or submarine from which it was ejected. If discharged from the latter they must travel through the water for a distance of at least half a mile and a distance of from five to seven miles if launched from a battleship during an engagement. The chances of missing the mark are, therefore, very good.

Torpedoes have been mainly driven by compressed air used as a motive fluid actuating a turbine or other engine which actuates the propellers. More recent developments using engines of the internal combustion ty-pe supplied with an operating fluid gengasolene or alcohol atomized by a stream of con'ibustion-supporting gas from a tank of compressed air or oxygen, have increased the range of action. All of these improvements, however, fail to overcome the inherent defect in the automobile torpedo, viz: the necessity for accurate aim while it is being launched. To overcome this greatest obstacle to the success of this method of warfare, it has been proposed to direct the course of the torpedo externally by wireless electric means which introduces the necessity of being able .to see the enemy, or to provide the torpedo internally with sound responsive control mechanism which,

however, is evidently of limited application. 1

The main object'of my present invention is to overcomethe difficulties above enumerated by incorporating in the torpedo of the l a detachable element or oortion within 'whichan attendant or pilot may accompany the main body of the torpedo for any desired distance during which time he may control its movements and then at will cause the pilot section to be detached, leaving the main torpedo body to proceed under its own automatic control. In thismanner the torpedo may be launched from a vessel many miles distant and entirely out of sight and range of the enemy and be directed by the pilot until within definite striking range.

Having thus given a general statement of the object and purposes of this invention, 1 will refer for a more detailed explanation to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a torpedo embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section on theline 2-2 of Fig. Figs. 3 and 4; are side and end elevations respectively, of the detachable pilot sec tion; Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of the torpedo with the pilot section in position;

i Fig. (3 is an enlarged detail on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5: and Figs. 7 and 8 are enlargeddetail views of certain parts.

I have illustrated my invention applied to a torpedo-of the usual cigar-shaped bodywith a depending keel portion 2, the forward end :2 tapering toward the nose or pointed how 3. The forward end 5, constitutes the war-head and carries the explosive charge, I

as usual. The main body or casing 6, contains the storage tank 7, for the liquid fuel and the tank 8. for the combustion-supporting gas under high pressure. The chamber 10Lmay contain ballast and the chamberlQ,

a storage battery to actuate a starting motor ll, and the spark coil for the internal combustion engine 15.

\Vhen the torpedo is traveling on the surface of thewater, partly submerged. as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 4','the air used by the engine may be taken from the air-chamber 18, which is in communication with the atmosphere through the tubes 20, and the air may be supplied in this manner when the torpedo is slightly submerged so long as the air intake tubes extend above the water line indicated by dotted line :c-e-aq. lVhen' the torpedo is to be submerged to a greater depth, the tubes 20 are lowered into dotted line position,by any suitable means under control of the pilot, as by V movement cutting off the air by a suitable valve in the sleeve 25, and the engine is then;-

rack 23 and pinion 24,,this

suitable manner. illustrated in Fig. 4, the various levers or carrying portion which may be variously secured to the main casing or body of the torpedo. I have. shown, for purpose of illustration, a detachable auxiliary casing 30, which Imay term a pilot-section, provided with a tubular end 31 adapted to telefScDPe into a corresp recess or socket the rear end of the torpedo, the pilotectibnbeing detachably he d in position in As conventionally controlling devices 34, 35, etc., for operating the rudder 36, controlling the engine actuatmg the various valves and other operating parts, are arranged within reach of the hands of the pilot, who has a clear range of the horizon through the several ports 37 in the conning hood 38.

The depth of submergence may be legulated by the inclination of the pivoted end sections 41, 42 of the planes 40 at the sides 0f the body. These may be controlled in any suitable manner. For illustration, I have shown the shafts 417 and 42 upon which the pivoted sections 41, 42, are carried, as belng provided with pinions engaging a rack bar 45, actuated through a nut on the worm '46, controlled through intermediate connections by the wheel 35. It is necessary, of course, that the controlling rods and levers leading into the pilot section should be separable to permit the latter to be disconnected from the main body or casing. I have, therefore, shown. each of the stems or rods provided with separable tongue and socket connections, such as shown at 48 in Fig. 8.

When the pilot has brought the torpedo into proper striking distance of the enemys vessel, and having fixed the control for the correct course and the proper submergence,

. so that the torpedo will proceed in a manner to strike the vessel, he operates the rod 50 to open the valve 51 in the pipe 52 permitting pressure from the compressed air-tank 54 to enterthe chamber 56, between the wall 57 of the torpedo casing and the piston 58, and causing the latter to eject the p lot-section from the main body of the torpedo.

The piston is caught at the end of its rearward troke b suitable latches 60, thus closing the ecess ejected and preventing any ingress of water which would tend to disturb the equilibrium of the torpedo. As soon as the pilot-section is free from the main body of the torpedo, the weight of the conning-portion 88, causes of oars, as indicated in Fig. 3,

rom which the pilot-section wasthe section to turn over, the portion 38 then serving as an eiiicient keel. The ilot may then open the hatch-way 61, and y means maneuver back. to his vessel or wait I until he is picked up. 7

From the above description it will be apparent that I have completely overcome the disadvantages of the automobile or self-pro pelled torpedo by reason of its restricted range of action and have provided means whereby the submergibletorpedo may have any desired range. 'It is no longer necessary to be within striking distance, nor to dis charge the torpedo with a definite aim' The pilot-controlled torpedo may be launched from a vessel entirely out of range of the enemys guns." I have also provided the proper element of safety for the pilot,

While I have described in detail the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings for the purpose of disclosing an embodiment of my invention, I am aware that various changes and modifications can be made within the scope of the appended claims and within the spirit of my invention. It is evident also that I am not restricted to the particular type. of torpedo which I have adopted for purposes of illustration.

I claim 1. A torpedo, comprising a main casing or body, mechanism for propelling and for steering said body, an auxiliary casing detachably secured to said body and having an 100 inclosed chamber adapted to hold anattendant or pilot, and controlling means connecting said mechanism with said chamber whereby the operator may control the operation of the torpedo.

2. A torpedo, comprising a main casing or body, mechanism for propelling and controlling the movements of said body, means for manually controlling said mechanism, an auxiliary casing detachably secured to said 110 body and having an inclosed chamber adapted to hold a pilot, and controlling means connecting said mechanism with said chamber whereby the pilot may control said mechanism.

3. In combination with a self-propelled submarine torpedo, a detachable section having an inclosed chamber adapted to hold a pilot, auxiliary controlling means connecting the operating mechanism of the torpedo 120 with said chamber to permit the manual control thereof by the pilot, and pressure-actuated mechanism under the control of the pilot for ejecting said section from the main body of the torpedo.

4. A self-propelled submarine torpedo having a main casing provided with a chamher or recess therein, a detachable section having an inclosed chamber adapted to hold a pilot and telescoping into said recess, 13

means under the control of the pilot for expelling said detachable section from the main casing.

A self-propelled submarine torpedo having a main casing and a detachable auxiliary casing telescoping therewith, the latter having an inclosed chamber to hold a pilot, means for controlling the operation of the torpedo within said chamber, and means for disconnecting the main and aux- -10 iliai'y casings.

In testimony whereof I nfiiX my signature in presence of a witness.

JACOB S. \VALCH. Witness:

EUGENE C. BROWN. 

